Into the Night
by Lochness Nova
Summary: Caravan AU- Maka finds herself in a situation that forces her to travel with a caravan. She picks up a strange guy named Soul on her way out of her city. This story follows her adventures and where fate brings her next. (M for violence and language; SFW)


Hey guys! This was the prologue to my resbang attempt number 1 that I dropped because I thought I wouldn't have time to finish it. It turned out that I didn't have time to finish my other resbang attempt either so I had to drop out. This was definitely an idea I wanted to hold on to though so I'll be releasing chapters when I can on ffnet for this Caravan AU and I already have ideas for a BlackStar special/spin off!

This is a shout out thank you to the betas who had to deal with my fickleness, Thank you for all your support in the beginning and I'm really sorry I couldn't pull through in the end.

Massive thanks to ash-is-boss, fabulousanima, hugtheboyinthebluehoodie, lucyrne, and fullmetalgrigori!

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><p>Prologue<p>

X30

April 19

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><p>The air was stuffy and dry despite the cool desert night. There was a full moon casting shadows into the dirty alleys and the dusty streets. A mouse scampered across the unpaved roads before a man in a cloak ran past, leaving a trail of smoke behind him and nearly stepping on the little rodent.<p>

He mumbled, "-needs to be better lit-" before skidding to a stop in front of a very aged adobe. He knocked six times and was let in by a blonde woman, who eyed him cautiously.

"I hope you didn't bring anything dangerous," Marie stepped aside anyway, "Put out your cigar, they're in the back."

Stein threw his cigar over his shoulder and walked briskly through the small, dark quarters. He crossed the living room quickly, dropping his cloak wherever it landed, and entered a room dimly lit by the flicker of a dying candle and a square of moonlight in the center. He pulled out another candle from his pants' pockets and lit it with the lingering flames of the old, carefully placing the new alongside it on the table in the corner of the room. The stub died out as the other worked to illuminate the space and he could finally see the man crouched beside a woman who lay on a tarp on the floor with the moonlight just ending below her feet.

"How is she, Spirit?"

"This is all my fault."

Stein looked to Marie's figure behind him as she stepped forward with a bowl of water and a clean piece of cloth. She held out her hand to Stein. "She's looking fine," Marie answered as she began to wipe off Stein's hands and chuckled, "Spirit is being a fool again."

"My darling goddess, reduced to illness and weakness…" Spirit hung his head over the woman's, tightly gripping her hand in his.

Stein pulled his hand back to inspect her. "This is normal," he glanced over at Spirit with a grimace, "Her condition is anyway. It's been six years since I've been back here and you finally knocked her up-" Spirit let a small moan escape his lips. "- even after the herbs I gave you to halt pregnancy."

Spirit glared at a spot above the woman's head but absentmindedly stroked her cheek. "She didn't tell me she ran out. I would have bought more if she told me that she distributed it among the other women on this street."

"Truly a little too generous for her own good," Stein commented.

"We need a bright soul like her in our lives, you know. The bandit attacks on the merchants have gotten more frequent. People need to share more if they are going to survive, especially in these streets." Marie rinsed off the cloth in the bowl and wrung it dry. She stood up and walked towards the open window. "It will be an easy birth from the looks of it. Is it a good omen?" She dumped the used water out the window and let it cascade onto the ground then left the room to get another bowl, mumbling something about plumbing. Stein didn't answer until she was back.

"Maybe, although I doubt anyone's lives will be easier now."

Spirit softly cried into the woman's hair as she gently patted his red tangled mess. She struggled to string her words together, "I don't regret this… because it was with y-"

She screamed.

Marie sprung into action and firmly shoved Spirit off her. "BREATHE. PUSH. BREATHE," she commanded. The woman quieted and twisted her beautiful face into a scowl. She clenched her lover's hand and squeezed from her core. She tried to control her desperate gasps for air and to silence her cries.

Stein had also been ready for this moment. He positioned himself below her, reaching for the bright soul he saw entering their cruel world.

The soft cries of a newborn echoed through the streets that night. She captured the hearts of all who laid eyes on her. Even her father let go of his lover's hand to stroke the baby's warm face. He was already bewitched by her presence as it melted away his regrets. He breathed a name that her essence whispered to him, "Maka."

The moon seemed to grin down through their window and its stolen rays made her pale skin glow in Stein's hands. A small halo was casted around her hair as she twirled her little fists in the air.

"The little angel has descended."


End file.
